Civil Rights Museum
If you've never been to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis then you're really missing out on something. Its housed in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. Walking through is a moving history of King and the struggle.
The climax of the experience comes at the end of the Museum in the room where King spent his last night. After walking through a series of exhibits you're invited to pause in that room. They play a portion of King's last public speech. After speaking about his near death experience in a previous assassination attempt he said,
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.At that moment of the tour I was crying and everyone else in the room, whatever their race, was crying too. The only museum, monument, or memorial of any kind that I can compare the emotional impact of that moment to is the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. Both made a similar profound and deeply personal impression. Going a second time a few years later didn't diminish the power of that place.
And I don't mind.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
And so I'm happy, tonight.
I'm not worried about anything.
I'm not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!
This is how Hillary Clinton reacted to the same experience on the anniversary of King's death.
There are a lot of things I'm thinking about this but I'll let people come to their own conclusions.
Comments
It is too bad that this wonderful museum was used as background for campaign activities. I was particularly struck by Hillary's big smile on the bus. When I visited for the first time, I happened to be the only one in the exhibit room where the bus is placed. I walked on, noticed the few grayish figures sitting on the bus, and took a seat myself. I cannot forget the outrage I felt when the bus driver started yelling at me "You can't sit there", "move to the back or get off the bus", etc. Later I saw the actual bus, fully restored, at the Ford Museum in Detroit. I walked on, took a seat, and the docent told me I had taken the seat Rosa Parks herself had selected so many years ago. There is no way I could have smiled. My feeling of respect and admiration for the courage of individuals like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and others has become too deep. And then white America is shocked at the things Rev. Wright said? Yeah - right!
Posted by: Mary Kirgan | April 6, 2008 8:02 PM
I'm not much of a crier. I'd be lying through my teeth if I suggested that I'd even mist up let alone cry while visiting the sight MLK was assassinated at, or for that matter where Abe Lincoln, JFK, or even John Lennon was killed.
It's just not me.
Hillary is after all involved in a political campaign, and MLK's legacy did not die out with his murder - in fact his death sealed the deal on his being recognized by the entire nation - not just blacks.
I do find any politician smiling, and waving at such a site rather disturbing, however, could it be that some well wishers applauded her visit, and only for a brief moment did she smile, and wave back at them?
Could it be that this attempt to cast her as insensitive doesn't do her justice after a lifetime of work on her part to better the lives of all people - including the poor?
Could it be that this is a cheap shot?
I've cast my vote for Obama, but Hillary isn't an evil person, or a moron like the fool we have as President now. I don't believe she'd be so calloused as to fail to recognize the importance of Martin Luther King Jr., or the depth of his sacrifice.
JP
Posted by: JeromeProphet | April 7, 2008 8:42 PM
JP, if it were just one photo of her smiling I'd say it was only a moment taken out of context. But its a series of photos.
And I don't think a person has to cry there. Every person in the room was crying both times I went but smiling and waving is clearly inappropriate. I think its harder to understand just how bizarre her behavior is if you haven't been there yourself.
I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and understand that people often do dumb things in a long, stressful, losing campaign. This isn't an easy time for her.
But when I first saw these photos I honestly wondered if she has some kind of personality disorder or mental health issue. It simply isn't how a rational, sane person reacts to that point in the Museum on the anniversary of his death. That's my honest opinion.
Posted by: Will | April 8, 2008 3:14 PM
I understand where you're coming from. It wasn't dignified.
I believe she's being moved from one venue to another so fast that she doesn't have time to think about where she is. All she sees is the line of cameras.
They live in a bubble during the campaign.
It does show that she's being poorly served by her campaign staff, and she just fired one of her campaign managers.
JP
Posted by: JeromeProphet | April 10, 2008 9:36 PM